diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5acdc900ab..5bdd52a6eb 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ endif
 all:: gitk-wish $(ALL_MSGFILES)
 
 install:: all
+	$(INSTALL) -d -m 755 '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(bindir_SQ)'
 	$(INSTALL) -m 755 gitk-wish '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(bindir_SQ)'/gitk
 	$(INSTALL) -d -m 755 '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(msgsdir_SQ)'
 	$(foreach p,$(ALL_MSGFILES), $(INSTALL) -m 644 $p '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(msgsdir_SQ)' &&) true